1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pair of locking pliers, and more particularly to an engaging structure for a pair of locking pliers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A pair of locking pliers of an U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,070, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a fixed handle P1, an adjustable jaw P2, a side handle P3, an elastic member P4, a restricting member P5 and a linking member P6.
The fixed handle P1 is provided with a U-shaped groove P101. One end of the fixed handle P1 is defined with a receiving portion P11 in which is screwed a supporting member P111 that is aligned with the groove P101, and one end of the receiving portion P11 is connected to a gripping portion P12. A hook-shaped rib is formed in the middle section of the bottom of the groove P101, which is aligned with the gripping portion P12. One end of the gripping portion is connected to a pivoting portion P13, and one end of the pivoting portion P13 is connected to a clamping portion P14.
The clamping portion P21 is formed on an end of the adjustable jaw P2, and a first pivoting portion P22 and a second pivoting portion P23 are formed on another end of the adjustable jaw P2 respectively. The first pivoting portion P22 is pivotally connected with the pivoting portion P13 of the fixed handle P1.
The side handle P3 is provided with a U-shaped groove P301. On one end of the side handle P3 is defined with a first pivoting portion P31 and a second pivoting portion P32, which are arranged close to each other. The first pivoting portion P31 of the side handle P3 is pivotally connected with the second pivoting portion P23 of the adjustable jaw P2, and one end of the second pivoting portion P32 of the side handle P3 is connected with a pressing portion P33. A stopping subassembly P34 is arranged in the middle section of the groove P301 and is aligned with the pressing portion P33.
One end of the elastic member P4 is hooked on the hook-shaped rib P121 of the fixed handle, and another end is hooked between the first pivoting portion P22 and the second pivoting portion P23 of the adjustable jaw P2.
The restricting member P5 is provided with a U-shaped groove P501. On one end of the restricting member P5 is defined with a first pivoting portion P51 and a second pivoting portion P52, which are arranged close to each other. A sheet-shaped restricting portion P53 is formed at the other end of the restricting member P5 to cooperate with the stopping subassembly P34 of the side handle P3 to form an engaging structure. The first pivoting portion P51 of the restricting member P5 and the second pivoting portion P32 of the side handle P3 are pivotally connected and arranged in the groove 301 of the side handle P3.
The linking member P6 is T-shaped. On one end of the linking member P6 is defined with a pivoting portion P61, and on another end is defined with a locking portion P62. A supporting portion P63 that is aligned with the bottom of the groove P301 of the side handle P3 is defined in the middle section of the linking member P6. The pivoting portion P61 of the linking member P6 is arranged in the groove P501 of the restricting member P5 and is pivotally connected with the second pivoting portion P52 of the restricting member P5.
The following is an illustration of the operation and the function of the pair of locking pliers. When the side handle P3 is pulled outward to leave the P1, the restricting member P5 utilizes the stopping subassembly P34 to stop the displacement of the restricting portion P53 through the first pivoting portion P51. When the side handle P3 is closed, the restricting member P5 drives the linking member P6 through the first pivoting portion P51 and the second pivoting portion P32, and the locking portion P62 of the linking member P6 is stopped by the supporting member P111 of the fixed handle P1, so that the linking member P6 can move relative to the side handle P3 through the pivoting portion P61, and the restricting portion P53 of the restricting member P5 pressed by supporting portion P63 of the linking member P6 is positioned the groove P301 of the side handle P3. However, after analyzing, the restricting member P6 of the pair of locking pliers has the following disadvantagements:
The restricting portion P53 of the restricting member P5 is formed and moves between the groove P301 of the side handle P3 and the stopping subassembly P34, so that the restricting portion P53 of the restricting member P5 takes up a relatively larger space of the groove P301 of the side handle P3. In addition, the restricting portion P53 of the restricting member P5 should cooperate with a stopping subassembly P34 and that increases the cost and makes the assembling work more inconvenient. How to design an easily assembled and low cost restricting member P5 becomes an important point in research.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.